1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air-blowing apparatus of a cleaner, and more particularly to an air-blowing apparatus of a cleaner wherein the distance between a fan and a diffuser is partly increased, whereby flow loss is minimized and noise is reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a view showing the construction of a cleaner with a conventional air-blowing apparatus mounted therein.
Generally, a cleaner comprises: a main body 2; and a suction unit 4 connected to a suction hole 1 formed at the front part of the main body 2 for suctioning waste accumulated on the floor with air. The main body 2 comprises: a dust-collecting compartment 6 for collecting the waste suctioned by means of the suction unit 4, filtering the air, and discharging the filtered air; and an air-blowing apparatus ‘B’ for generating a suction force necessary to introduce the waste into the interior of the main body 2 via the suction unit 4 along with air. At the rear part of the main body 2 is formed a main body side discharging hole 3 for discharging the air having passed through the air-blowing apparatus ‘B’ to the outside of the main body 2.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, in part, showing the conventional air-blowing apparatus of the cleaner.
The conventional air-blowing apparatus ‘B’ of the cleaner comprises: an impeller 10 for generating a blowing force; and a motor 20 mounted to the rear of the impeller 10 for driving the impeller 10.
The impeller 10 comprises: an impeller housing 12 having an impeller suction hole 11, through which air is suctioned, formed at the front part thereof, and an opening 13 formed at the rear part thereof; a fan 14 rotatably mounted in the impeller housing 12 for blowing air by means of the centrifugal force; and a diffuser 16 securely fixed around the fan 14, in the radial direction thereof, while the diffuser 16 is spaced a prescribed distance ‘G’ from the fan 14, for diffusing the air blown from the fan 14.
At the rear of the diffuser 16 may be disposed a guide vane 18 for guiding the air having passed through the diffuser 16 to the motor 20.
The motor 20 comprises: a motor housing 22 having an opening 21 formed at the front part thereof, the opening 21 of the motor housing 22 communicating with the opening 13 formed at the rear part of the impeller housing 12; a stator 24 fixed to the motor housing 18; and a rotor 26 rotatably mounted in the stator 24, the rotor 26 being connected to the fan via a rotary shaft 25.
At the side rear part of the motor housing 22 is formed a motor side discharging hole 23 for discharging air.
Operation of the conventional air-blowing apparatus of the cleaner with the above-stated construction will now be described.
When the stator 24 is energized, a magnetic field is created, by means of which the rotor 26 is rotated. As the rotor 26 is rotated, the fan 14 is also rotated to generate a blowing force, by means of which outside air is forcibly sent to the impeller housing 12 through the impeller suction hole 11.
The air forcibly sent to the impeller housing 12 is blown to the fan 14 in the axial direction thereof, and then the air is blown to the radial outer circumference of the fan 14. Subsequently, the air is diffused 16 by means of the diffuser 16, is guided by means of the guide vane 18, and is then blown to the motor housing 22.
The air blown to the motor housing 22 is sent toward the rear of the motor housing 22 so that the motor 20 is cooled. Finally, the air is discharged to the outside of the motor housing 22 through the motor discharging hole 23.
In the conventional air-blowing apparatus of the cleaner, the distance between the fan 14 and the diffuser 16 is relatively small in the radial direction of the fan 14 so that flow loss of air between the fan 14 and the diffuser 16 is minimized. When air is blown from the fan 14 to the diffuser 16, the air is disturbed since the diffuser 16 is fixed to the impeller housing 12 while the fan 14 is rotated. Consequently, a serious problem of noise is caused.